Tower Of God
by V4Victory
Summary: "What do you most desire? Money and wealth? Honor and pride? Authority and power? Revenge? Or something that transcends them all? Whatever you desire-it's here, in the Tower of God." Join Percy as he climbs each level of the tower to find his friend Annabeth, while facing almost near impossible missions and mind bending puzzles. Percy will use any means necessary to reach the top.
1. The Tower

_A/N Sorry about all the re-uploads and deletes, I wasn't too confident in this story so I took some time to work on it, (you'll see a bit here in chapter one.) But I hope you enjoy!_

Story adapted from "Tower of God" by SIU

A/N _It's a little slow here in the beginning but it's important so read it :P_

 _(This story may not be continued, please read A/N at the bottom after finishing the chapter)_

The world was dark.

The world was cold.

It cared not for the poor.

It cared not for the weak.

And so, I took it upon myself to build such a was filled with light. A world that was alive. That did something with the poor and the tired.

I, along with my comrades, destroyed the old kingdom.

We banded together, we aspirers. Marched on to the great gate. Every step bloody, every loss they took was worse than the last... Years ... It took years to take the keep.

However we prevailed.

I broke that door down with my bare hands, and watched as my soldiers tore those tyrants and nobles apart.

The Queen was screaming-

And, as I held her crown in my hands and looked at the ragged reflection in the metal, and at last I saw what I, and what we had come to be.

I surveyed the landscape. The remaining of the tyrants huddled in the corner, cowering in fear.

At last they saw. Saw what _we_ had become.

 _We_ were the darkness.

 _We_ were the terror, the frigid cold.

I cared not for the cold, dying woman on the floor. For she was weak, and I was strong...

The world is dark, the world is cold. So it will be until the day we ultimately destroy ourselves.

And so vengeance shall be rot. Unto the wicked and the vile, a death of deaths awaits...

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust, we are nothing but dust and so dust, we shall remain.

What have we become...

I am a tyrant.

I am a God.

Now see what I have become.

Perhaps, one day a hero will rise against my reign.

A true hero, not a tyrant whose heart is swayed by the richest of this tower.

Here I sit on the final floor.

Waiting.

* * *

 ** _Contract_**

 _Perseus Jackson, known as "First Party," agrees to enter into contract with King, known as "Second Party" on date 5/23/29759_

 _This agreement is based on the following provisions._

 _1\. First Party will be transferred to Second Party's world._

 _2\. First Party will be able to return to Long Island New York of the United States of America if First Party is able to reach the "top floor in Second Parties world._

 _Furthermore, the First Party agrees:_

 _1\. All weapons and powers are taken away granted for powers/weapons applicable to Second Party's world._

 _2\. First Party's memory will be wiped._

 _3\. False, but appropriate memories will be given to Party One_

 _The terms and conditions laid out in this contract constitute the entire agreement. Any additions, waivers, or conditions must be put forth in writing and signed by both parties._

 _Invalidity or unenforceability of one or more provisions of this agreement shall not affect any other provision of this agreement._

 _This agreement is subject to the laws and regulations of the state of {God}._

 _Signed: Perseus Jackson_

 _Signed: God King_

* * *

 ** _Contract_**

 _Annabeth Chase, known as "First Party," agrees to enter into contract with King, known as "Second Party" on date 5/23/29759_

 _This agreement is based on the following provisions._

 _1\. First Party will be transferred to Second Parties world._

 _2\. First Party will be able to return to Long Island New York of the United States of America if First Party is able to reach the "top floor in Second Parties world._

 _Furthermore, the First Party agrees:_

 _1\. All weapons and powers are taken away granted for powers/weapons applicable to Second Parties world._

 _2\. First Party's memory will be allowed basic knowledge about goals/intentions._

 _3\. False memories will be added about Second Party's world_

 _The terms and conditions laid out in this contract constitute the entire agreement. Any additions, waivers, or conditions must be put forth in writing and signed by both parties._

 _Invalidity or unenforceability of one or more provisions of this agreement shall not affect any other provision of this agreement._

 _This agreement is subject to the laws and regulations of the state of {God}._

 _Signed: Annabeth Chase_

 _Signed: God King_

* * *

Modern Time.

" _Annabeth!"_

Two pairs of running footsteps echoed their way down the pitch-black cave.

The voice called out again. It was male; a young boy's plea. The clear, innocent voice rang hollow and deep. " _Annabeth! Stop!"_

The echoes grew stronger, and the jagged walls of the cave seemed to magnify the despair in the boy's voice as he called out yet again, his voice close to cracking, " _Please, stop!"_

The footsteps drew closer, faster now, as if whomever the boy was chasing had decided to make one last spurt of effort to escape.

Within the dark cave, two figures slowly loomed into view. One boy, and one girl. The girl was ahead. The boy was a few healthy steps behind her.

They were both running.

The girl was blonde, her hair tied back into a ponytail (although it had fallen loose, slightly). She was wearing a drab, brown skirt, a frayed red ribbon tied into a bow around the waist.

She was barefoot.

A few seconds later, the boy emerged chasing after her, a desperate glint in his large, green eyes.

He had jet-black hair down to his shoulders. He wore a red vest, black breeches, and a brown cardigan. They were a bit too large for him and the cardigan billowed as he continued to follow the girl's footsteps. He, too, was barefoot.

This running chase continued for a few more seconds, both of them running through the winding passages of the dark cave, which seemed to go on forever, its walls extending infinitely towards both ends.

Suddenly, they both emerged into a large, cavernous chamber. The rocky partitions on either side seemed to disappear at right angles, and the burst of cool air signaled that the space between them had gotten significantly bigger.

The girl was slowing down now, gasping and panting. Seeing her distress, the boy put on an extra spurt of speed.

His fingers snatched at the girl's lace ribbon, once, twice, before finally catching on. He let out a triumphant grunt. "Annabeth! Stop!" He yelled for the final time, as both of them came crashing down onto the granite ground.

The girl spoke for the first time. Her voice sounded pure; clear as the singing of a songbird. She also sounded desperate, but in a different way. Mixed with annoyance, perhaps.

" _No,_ Percy!" She yelled, from her spot on the ground. "You can't come with me, how many times did I – "

The boy – whose name appeared to be Percy– started crying. The hollow ringing vibrated off the cold stone walls. The girl's voice immediately became softer.

"Percy, I told you. I told you loads of times, that I'd have to go away, that you can't come with me…" Her eyes hardened again, and she hesitated for the slightest fraction of a second before continuing. "I have to climb the Tower."

The boy named Percy shook his head violently; indeed, his whole body was trembling. "I don't – " he grit his teeth. "I don't – I don't _get_ it! I don't _understand –_ why!"

The girl – Annabeth– sighed and closed her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, Percy? Once I can climb the Tower – once I've reached the top – "

Percy had begun crying, his breaths coming in sobbing, bated gasps. Annabeth ignored him. " – I can do whatever I want to. Things you can't even imagine." She sat up, excited. "Listen. _Listen._ "

The boy stopped crying, silently wiping his eyes with his slightly worn-down cardigan, where many tears have dissipated. His eyes were still puffy and red, but by stopping he exuded his strong will to listen; a dog and his owner.

"Can't you just see it?" Annabeth smiled, her eyes traveling upwards, into the pitch-black cave above. "Light. _Light!_ Reaching out in all directions, as far as the eye can see. (-here she stretched her hand toward fraudulent sky-) And green – plants, Percy. Real, living plants, plants that you can _feel._ "

Percy breathed more slowly.

Annabeth went on, unperturbed. "And when the moon falls – the _stars,_ – they come out of the sky, and there's literally millions of them, dotted across the blue sky like sequins on silk. And they glimmer – like your eyes. Except a thousand times brighter."

Her eyes, which had softened, seemed to return to reality. " _That's_ why I want to climb the Tower. I'm sick and tired of living in this darkness."

Silence reigned for a few seconds. Both of their breathing had returned to normal.

"…take me with you."

"I can't." Her previous songbird-like voice had faded, replaced by a slightly pleading, nearly desperate, nasality. "I have to go by myself. I _have_ to."

Percy seemed to be just ready to cry again when the ground began to shudder, the smallest pebbles already starting to lurch over the minuscule cracks that had formed in the dirt.

Annabeth smiled faintly. "It's happening," she whispered. A tinge of excitement crept into her voice.

Percy's eyes widened in fear. His voice, conversely, reeked of the greatest despair. "Take me with you, Annabeth, please, I can't live without you – "

He grabbed her by the shoulders as the cave began to shake violently. Behind Annabeth– on the ground – through one of the largest cracks, a pure, blinding yellow light began to seep into the cavern. Percy became temporarily mute as the yellow light grew around them, extending its smoky tendrils around Annabeth as if it were enveloping her inside.

Through his clouding vision – whether through tears, or the increasingly obscuring golden light that fell like a veil between himself and Annabeth– Percy reached out a hand, grasping away at nothing.

Her voice now seemed to come from everywhere, yet nowhere. The faintest shadow remained where Annabeth had existed, just a second before.

"Sorry, Percy," the cavern echoed. "I need to go. Try to forget me, okay?"

Percy fell on his back, staring up at the cave ceiling, wildly looking around for any trace of the light, so he could follow it, find Annabeth–

" – so that I can be reborn again." Annabeth's voice faded away.

Percy was left alone.

A deathly silence permeated the cold walls, the walls which he knew, now, he would find to be his permanent grave. With Annabeth, it was a home, perhaps not the most welcoming one, but a home … without her, now, it was nothing but a vessel for his body, a lifeless shell of what he and his life formerly used to be.

Everything he knew, everything he learned, had come from Annabeth.

And now, she was gone. Just like that in a whiff of smoke.

A sudden noise startled him from his depressing reverie. He looked around; a solitary tinge of golden light had remained where Annabeth once was; a small pebble. He sprung up, and then dove- his body roughly hitting the smooth rocks of his abode. -Now curling up in pain, he grasped the light close to his heart thinking it would disappear any second.

Once Percy was sure the light wouldn't leave him, he carefully opened up his palm- peering into the small cracks of his fingers.

"-W-will you abandon me too?"

Percy knew it was a incoherent question to ask to the light, but couldn't help it in his new found realization of being all alone.

"Will you leave me like she did?"

Tears began to fall- slowly at first; now more quickly.

Wiping his eyes with his tear-stained, already-wet-sleeve, his grip loosened.

The light fell, hitting the ground with a high _ping_.

He quickly stopped wiping and watched, first in horror, next in mild excitement, and then in panic as a sliver of yellow grew and began to claw its way around his body.

The golden light swirled around him, enveloping everything he could see, everything he could feel. He wasn't sure what was there, and what wasn't, anymore – all he knew was that he felt like he was being sucked into a hole that was much too small for his body. He thought vaguely that his eyeballs would pop out any second now.

Then everything went black.

—-

Once he was certain he would not die, he felt safe enough to open his eyes.

The first thing that came into view was the floor. It wasn't like the rough caves he had been inside before, lived his whole life in; it was smooth, with an ornate decorative inlay.

Percy studied it for a few seconds. The pattern was striking; it seemed to be three stylized eyes, arranged inside a pyramid. It repeated over and over again, as far as he could see.

His eyes slowly traveled across the lightening darkness. The bronzed walls, without a single crack or smudge, were chiseled with fantastical murals. Percy examined one of them more carefully; a huge creature with glistening teeth was posing menacingly. It seemed to be on the verge of coming to life and jumping out of the wall itself.

Percy slowly directed his gaze upwards, and his breath was taken away for a second time in as many minutes.

The ceiling above – if there was even a ceiling – seemed infinite. The brown, smooth walls tapered away into what seemed to be an everlasting darkness, a void. A faint purple light shined at the far end of the abyss.

Percy squinted, trying to see more; but the more he tried, the fainter the light became. He turned his attention elsewhere.

The room itself was slightly smaller than the infinite void; he estimated that it would take about 100 steps to walk the diameter. However, the most interesting part about the room he was in – notwithstanding the floor patterns, or the infinite roof, or the purple light – was the cage.

The cage, as much as Percy could figure out, dominated one side of the square room, opening up the entire wall to the panoramic blue gleam that emanated from within the steel-tressed boundary.

As he squinted his eyes, he realized that the cage was actually a whole new room, located next to the room he was currently trapped – or placed – in. Separating the two rooms was an archway of massive size, its keystone so far up high that the curve of the arch was barely two rooms were blocked by an intricately-designed steel mesh.

Percy walked closer. The difference in the light was striking; where he was, it was black, with small dots of purple – floating downwards, he assumed, from the source at the top – swirling around him, thousands in number, but illuminating nothing. On the other side of the barrier, however, was iridescent blue light, pale as Percy had ever seen, that seemed to penetrate every crevice and nook.

It, however, stopped abruptly at the steel boundary, and didn't penetrate one inch further. This seemingly illogical separation of light piqued his curiosity like nothing else in the room.

He reached out a trembling hand to touch it –

" _Please don't touch the cage."_

Percy stumbled backwards, his breath taken away. Before he fell, though, he felt himself stopped by a soft, somewhat squishy wall that had definitely not been there before.

Regaining his balance, Percy rubbed his head and spun around, breath quickening. Standing in front of him was the _strangest_ creature he had ever seen in his life.

At first glance, the thing standing before him resembled a rabbit – an outlandish large one, slightly taller than Percy himself, but a rabbit nonetheless.

On a closer inspection, that's where the similarities stopped. The creature's skin was a pale, nearly transparent white, with the two long, pointy ears creased back from its jaw.

Its mouth traveled across the entire oval-shaped face, as if it had on a permanent smile.

It had no eyes.

Also, Percy was certain that he – _it_ – hadn't been there five minutes ago, not when he had opened his eyes, not when he had swept his eyes across the room.

In its right hand, the creature held a giant two-sided pole taller than itself, ivory white in color, each end cupping itself around a shimmering blue ball – the same shade as the cage now behind him. Something swirled inside; it looked like it was full of liquid. A blue frock hung loosely from the creature's shoulders.

It cocked its head. Percy could hear him breathing slowly, through his…mouth? He wasn't quite sure.

The thing started walking forward, towards him. Percy took a step back; he was afraid.

Very much so.

—-

However, if Percy had been a little more acquainted with the Tower, he would've known that he needn't have feared the creature at all.

Because the creature's name was Headon, and he was the Guardian of the Lowest Floor of the Tower, in charge of selecting those worthy enough to climb its perilous steps.

Headon assessed the boy. _Different._

—-

Percy held his breath as the creature inched closer. It cocked its head – or what seemed to be its head – and knocked the white staff he was holding against the grates of the cage.

The vibrations echoed around the chamber.

"Do you know what this is?" The creature now asked him.

Still not a little paralyzed, Percy could only shake his head. Its voice sounded like it was speaking through a glass cylinder; every one of its deep intonations and vowels penetrated cleanly into his ears.

The creature sighed. "I supposed I should've known," he said, then stood up a bit straighter. "My name is Headon. I am the Guardian of the First, and Lowest, Floor."

Percy blinked. "Head – ?"

Headon nodded. "And for the first time in a while, I suspect things are about to get interesting indeed."

"What – I don't understand."

Headon smiled thinly. "You are one of the few to have entered the Tower by opening the door itself."

Percy gaped. He had not understood a single word of what the creature – Headon – had just told him. The Tower? Was he inside the Tower?

If he was inside the Tower, then maybe –

Percy's breath caught in his throat and his heart jumped a few meters. "I'm – I'm looking for a girl! Someone who passed by here!" he yelled at Headon. Perhaps he would have an inkling of where Annabeth had vanished. "Please! Anything you know – !"

Headon considered the outburst for a few, indeterminately long seconds. "I'm not sure if I can answer that." He smiled, the oblong mouth stretching to either end of his pointy ears. His teeth glinted.

Percy gasped. "You've seen her!"

Headon appeared to smile. Or, at least, the lines of his mouth creased upward slightly. "Perhaps," he answered.

"Where … where did she go? I _must_ find her." Percy asked, desperately. However, in the back of his mind, he knew Headon would answer –

"I don't know."

Percy's heart sank.

"But – there is one thing I can tell you for certain."

A surge of hope flooded into Percy's abdomen.

Headon raised the staff above his head, pointing into the darkness above. "Everything you seek – fame, riches, revenge, or your sweet girl – can be found above you."

The blue material inside the orbs at the end of Headon's staff glittered, as if it was straining against its holds. "The most wondrous and fascinating things in the Universe…all prepared at the top of the Tower."

Percy looked up. His eyes strained against the piercing darkness. "But…there's nothing."

He heard the creature named Headon scoff. "I meant _climb the Tower,_ young one.

Whatever it is you want, you can find it at the top. " he lowered his staff and sank it into the ground. "Do you want to find your girl?"

Percy nodded without hesitation. Annabeth. He would do anything to get her back.

"Then…do you wish to climb?"

This time, he hesitated. The corners of Headon's mouth glinted. "Hmm…it's a shame, isn't it. A young girl, alone in this wretched place…wandering…"

" – I'll climb."

The corners of Headon's mouth glinted again. "What is your name, boy?"

"I was named Percy," Percy said.

"Percy," Headon repeated. "What an unusual name."

Percy wasn't listening; he was looking for the stairs. Headon noticed his preoccupation, and chuckled.

"You're not going to find any stairs here, Percy," he said.

Percy turned around. "But then, how – "

Headon smiled, and this time, he really did smile, revealing a full row of razor-sharp incisors. The hair on the back of Percy's neck stood up on end as the smile slowly disappeared.

"For every floor you ascend, you will have to take a test." Headon now said. "This is the first one."

He knocked the foot of his staff three times on the stone tiles below. The reverberating hum echoed through through the walls.

"A…test?"

Headon seemed to only be partially listening, one of his ears cocked towards the side.

"Oh, yes. For every floor, if you want to move upwards. That is the way of the Tower. Plenty of people seek the greatness that awaits them at the top of the Tower, so they enter and claw their way up. Some succeed…most do not."

Percy was about to ask something else about Annabeth, and if she had taken the tests too, when a low growl suddenly emanated from the blue cage that had been temporarily pushed out of his mind.

Headon twirled his staff. "Yes…here he comes. This is your first test, Percy."

At first, Percy couldn't see anything.

Then, off in the distance – through the blue mist – he could sense a vague shape approaching. A very, _extremely_ large vague shape.

As the seconds passed by, the shape grew larger and more distinct, and Percy could begin to make out some features of it: a split tail, arching its way closer, a wide mouth filled with thousands of serrated spikes, a dorsal fin on its back, two wide flippers pushing the blue mist away…

He was looking at a fish. Its body was navy blue, with red fins and a white streak dividing the body lengthwise.

The fish opened its jaws wide. Percy had barely registered the fearful teeth when it let out a loud, wailing cry that shook the walls, small pebbles dropping and rolling on the ground under his feet.

A chill rode down his spine. Standing above him, Headon smirked slightly.

"This is a Spirit-fish. Or one of its species, at any rate," he explained.

"Spirit?" Percy questioned, his nerve having calmed down a little.

Headon simply nodded. "The Spirit is the blue haze you see in front of you." He made a sweeping gesture with his staff. "It flows throughout the Tower, encompasses it from top to bottom, one end to another. Creatures take their power from it – even you and me, to a certain degree – and it makes life possible inside the Tower."

Percy kept silent; the prospect of fighting a huge, fishy creature that swam inside an ill-defined blue haze did not appeal to him in the slightest.

But then, he looked up and saw the abyss once more, and was reminded of Annabeth.

He curled his hands up into fists, a shimmering glint in his eye. "So – I have to fight – it?" he said, before realizing something. "But…I don't have a weapon."

Headon sighed. "You may only take this test with the objects you are carrying with you.

But don't worry – the objective isn't to kill the Spirit-fish."

Percy blinked. "Then – what is it?"

Headon mutely pointed with his staff into the center of the cage. Percy squinted, and this time, he could see something that – once again – _definitely_ had not been there before.

A black, round ball, suspended in midair, about half the height of Percy, from what he could tell from such a distance.

"This test is called 'ball'." Headon said. "It's simple: you run up to the ball and pierce it."

"All I have to do is put a hole in that ball?" Percy asked.

Headon nodded affirmatively. "That's correct. However you decide to do it, that's up to your best judgment." He was silent for a moment, then added, "The ball does not take much pressure to break. But the Spirit-fish…under normal conditions, it is quite tame. But it hasn't been fed for a while, and I suspect it is about to lay eggs, which makes it…quite protective."

Percy remained silent, although his fists were still clenched.

"You are free to give up and return to your home at any time. Although, if you do, you will never be allowed to enter the Tower again."

 _Home._ The word echoed inside Percy's brain. What home did he have to return to? Home, to Percy, was wherever Annabeth was. She had taught him everything, told him everything, described him everything.

Without Annabeth, there was no home.

And if Headon was right, Annabeth was now somewhere above him, in this mysterious place called the Tower.

His decision was made, his breath quickened, his heart thumped against his chest.

Headon bared his teeth as Percy ran past him, into the shimmering blue abyss.

 _Welcome to the Tower, little one._

* * *

 _(Chapter Two- The Battle Of The Spirit Fish)_

 _Coming within the next week_

* * *

 ** _Please Read_**

 _This Fanfiction is not guaranteed to stay. If you enjoy it, please drop a fav/follow/ and review to let me know if I should continue or not._

 _A/N. Ladies and Gentleman, I'd like to humbly welcome you to the tower. As the author and adaptator, I appreciate any reviews and constructive criticism- I'll try to keep an open mind to make my story better, and appealing to all audiences. I answer all questions, so don't be afraid to ask! I know some of the concepts may be confusing later on, and I'll do my best to explain._

 _I Apologize for the reuploads/deletions again, I'm truly sorry._

 _This Fanfiction is not guaranteed to stay, again, read top. However if/when it gets enough likes and follows, I will continue this story for a year or two._

 _ **English is not my first language** , Im originally from East Asia, so I do realize I probably have plenty grammatical errors found in there so I apologize. _

_I'll be selecting two reviewers as "beta readers," these beta readers will have before access to my story and help give me advice before chapters are published._

 _As of now, I have written 15,000 words. I will release the next chapter when I deem it ready._

 _I apologize again, for everything wrong I probably did._

 _Kamsamidad! Thanks for reading!_

 _~Author, V_


	2. Character Profiles and AN

**IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THE STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER!**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

 **IF YOU WANT TO IMMEDIATELY CONTINUE ON WITH THIS STORY, SKIP THIS CHAPTER**

* * *

A/N Sorry about putting an A/N like as a chapter here, but I'm going to introduce myself whether you want it or not. :P

* * *

 _ **Every piece of information I give you will be IMPORTANT (Try to solve the mystery)**_

 ** _(Nothing is by coincidence)_**

* * *

Im going to be doing this thing called "Character Profiles. I will introduce characters age/gender/specifics/interesting facts so you guys can get to know the character better! One or two will be released at a time, depending on when they are introduced.

* * *

 _ **Annabeth and Percy character profile will be found below! Background knowledge on the towerHeadon character profile below! Teaser for chapter 2 is found too!**_

* * *

Hello! I'm a teenage highschooler guy who is in charge of writing/adapting Tower of God. I play Tennis, Soccer, Baseball, and racquetball, and I like to read more than I like to write, so expect lots of aesthetic description and thorough and _planned_ out plots. I'm not good at these type of things and I should be doing pre-calculus homework right now but whatever :P ~V (Let Me know what else you want to know?

I don't know what y'all want me to say lol. Well depending on the length of the chapter, they will be released in a couple of weeks at a time although I'm **still not sure whether I should continue this or not.**

For the questions, 1. Tower Of God is originally a webtoon, -a korean manga kind of- and is made by the amazing amazing artist and storyteller SIU, I encourage you all to check him and the original ToG out :P. Im only the adaptrist, turning his beautiful art into a book, with a twist.

Anddddd, I can't forget Rick Rioradan's characters, I do not own them and check out his books if you haven't read them as well.

2\. Don't worry! I plan on implementing a lot of characters so your favorite will probably pop up sooner than you think!

3\. This story might STILL NOT CONTINUE, it depends on the support because I would also like to work on the other pieces that I have.

4\. At this time and date I have finished 4 chapters.

5\. Chapter two will probably be available quite soon so keep your eyes open for it!

6\. I will work hard for you all so don't worry :)

 **Drop a review if you want me to continue.**

 **Drop a follow if you want me to continue.**

 **Drop a like if you want me to continue.**

Also, shoot me a message if you want to be a "beta" reader and read it before its released and give some advice.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story!

(I hope I continue it)

Characters and such are not owned by me.

(Oh and btw if something doesn't make sense, It will later) * WINK *WINK *WINK (You'll understand later)

Thanks for all you folks who actually read this lol..

* * *

 **Character Profile**

Annabeth(In Tower)

Name: Annabeth _

Age: 16

Irregular Rank: E

Position: Light Bearer

Reasons for climbing the tower: Annabeth longs to see the stars; one of the fabled rewards on the final floor of the tower.

Location: ?

Power: ?

Appearance: Annabeth is a short girl with blonde hair and striking gray eyes.

History:

At a certain point in time, Annabeth entered Percy's cave. She became the most important to him. Annabeth taught Percy everything he knows including language, education about the world, social etiquette, board games and so forth. She was like a mother, a sister and a friend to him. Until one day, she proclaims that she will climb the tower.

Interesting facts: ?

* * *

 **Character Profile**

Percy(In Tower)

Name: Percy _

Age: 16

Irregular Rank; E

Position: Wave Controller

Reasons for climbing the tower: To find Annabeth

Power: Courage, Good Intuition

Appearance: Percy has green eyes, and black hair. He is described as "handsome" and "cute" by many characters.

History: Percy's early life is shrouded in history. Nothing is known from where he lived; other than that it was a cave of some sorts. Inside the cave, there was only one source of light. Towards which Percy built a huge tower made of stones. After climbing his tower, Percy found the light, which was unreachable, shining through a crack in the high cave ceiling. This caused him to get upset, but as this happened the rock above broke off and, a girl with it, Annabeth fell. Annabeth became Percy's only friend and taught him how to read, write and talk. She also told him about the sky and stars, and of human warmth. She educated him on many things about the human world, though his grasp on human society is still fairly poor.

The two played a crude board game in the cave with chalk lines and stone pieces, always drawn out somehow by Percy tactics. Annabeth would frequently journey above through the opening from which light cascaded, denying Percy to come with her, telling him, "Up there, only those who have been chosen can play". She told him stories of the world above; of the yearly festivals, the fruit-bearing trees given by God, the children playing - a world filled with light and merriment. Percy would wait for her to return with nothing else to do but dream of going up there and playing with her.

At one point, Annabeth also told him _the story of a man_ who loved a star _so much_ that he built a tower to get to it. The others called the man crazy, but he kept stacking rocks anyway. Eventually, the man was able to reach the star and live with it _forever_.

Interesting facts: Percy is ambidextrous, but favors his right hand.

* * *

 **Character Profile**

Headon

Name: Headon

Age: ?

Nicknames: "The true master of the tower"

Rank: Administrator of floor 1

Position: Creator

Appearance and Personality: Headon has an appearance reminiscent of a white rabbit because of his long ears. He swirls a long white stick with two blue balls at the ends.

He talks in a friendly manner, but can, in fact, be a bit cruel and is extremely manipulative. He looks at things in a seemingly logical and pragmatic fashion.

History: He has known to have been in the tower from the beginning.

Interesting facts: Although normally most guardians stay on their floor, Headon travels all floors and selects people who catch his eye. These people are known as "chosen regulars," and start their journey on Evenkhell's floor.

When Ananbeth came in, he told her she wasn't chosen to climb the Tower. To her dismay, he calls her an "incredibly dirty, foul, lying, naughty little girl".

* * *

The Tower

No one knows the origin of the tower and its 135 floors.

The tower is divided into three parts; the inner tower, the outer tower, and the Middle Area.

Each floor in the outer tower is the size of the north american continent.

Every floor has a guardian except the 43rd floor.

The tower is populated by creatures name Shinheuh.

Residents of the tower have a long lifespan. If they learn to manipulate shinsoo, their lifespan will immediately increase to the point in where it looks like their aging process is frozen.

By reaching the 133th floor, a regular becomes a ranker.

* * *

 _A/N: Whew! These will appear often at the beginning of the story with introduction of characters,(I'll probably just throw em into the chapters) but will proceed to not show up as much. Now enjoy a small small teaser from chapter 2!_

* * *

In front of him, the Spirit-fish roared. Percy held the Black March at eye level. He felt more reassured now, like the weapon had given him a power of his own.

He stood facing the enormous creature. Its jaws were wide, and the teeth glistened. He dug his heels into the gravel, and began sprinting.

Now, he had two promises to keep.

* * *

This Fanfic will most likely be updated WEEKLY, until it is caught up to my writing. Then, it will be updated ASAP, around 2 weeks each. Character profiles, and bonus information will be released a couple days after the main chapter.

~V


	3. The Lady And Her Guide

Chapter 2

Story adapted from "Tower of God" by SIU

 _What_ do you **seek** in this world, above all things?

 _If_ you were allowed to have just one thing – just that one wish you so desperately want **to** be fulfilled – what would you ask for?

Fame? Perhaps you desire the heady sensation of recognition, cameras flashing before your eyes, wherever you turn? Do you wish to see your name on the big screen, plastered on billboards? Children everywhere will know your name – your face, your voice, your personality. Is _This_ what you wish for?

Money? Do you seek to live a life free from the shackles of currency, without worrying where your next meal will come from? A desire to **escape** the mundane reality of **this** _ **World**_ , and surround yourself with fantasies of the highest caliber? Money could buy it all, everything you could ever want or need. Is that what you want?

Glory? Do you wish to see your name on a pedestal, marble busts carved from your face? Schoolchildren will sing songs praising your name and your bravery, and contemporary texts will venerate you as one of the great heroes of the day. You will become immortal, permanently enshrined in the annals of history.

Revenge? Someone you know committed a crime most foul, most distasteful, most horrifying – are you here to avenge it? Are you driven by a primal hunger for getting even? Perhaps the world seems out of balance; do you think of yourself as the only one who could restore it?

Or, perhaps, you desire something even greater than all of those things combined. Something that baffles the ordinary imagination, out of their league. Perhaps you are ne in a million, one of the lucky few endowed with the kind of spirit and willpower to go even higher, and further, than your contemporaries: the Superman, the _ubermensch_.

Whatever it is you're looking for – no matter how feeble, _And_ grand, or how unimaginable – you can find it here, on the unending levels of The Tower. Everything anyone could possibly wish for is sequestered here, waiting for you to discover it.

But, with one catch … are you willing to put in the effort? Risk _Everything_ you own, love, enjoy?

If you happen to achieve this, _Was_ it worth it?

Are you willing to bet everything on the line to have _A_ faint chance at securing your _Dream_?

 _Even Your Life?_

* * *

Somewhere inside the Tower, far above the Lowest Floor, far above Percy and Headon and the Spirit-fish, two figures were running down a seemingly endless flight of irregular stairs.

One of them was a woman; the other was a man. The woman was tall, lithe, and graceful. She was impeccably dressed; her white suit fit her slim figure perfectly, and her blood-red necktie, the same color as her eyes, complemented the black hair that currently were tied up into a rough yet tasteful ponytail. She bounded down the flights of stairs in careful yet powerful steps, often taking four – or even five – at a time.

The man, despite being normally proportioned, couldn't have been taller than Percy himself. He was dressed in military garb from head to toe, and carried a backpack nearly as big as himself on his back. His silver-black hair was done into a neat crew cut. Despite his youthful appearance, he exuded wisdom; he was much older than what he looked. Also despite his physique, he had no problem keeping up with the woman, seemingly magically holding pace with her already superhuman speed.

The two of them made an unlikely combination. Their argument echoed throughout the space as they kept running, the woman in front, the man behind.

"Lady Reyna!" the man yelled, as they descended ever deeper. "Lady Reyna, _please_!"

The woman known as Reyna barely glanced backwards, only laughing as she put on a spurt of speed. The man increased his own speed to keep up. "My lady, what could you possibly want to do on the Lowest Floor?"

Reyna now deigned to actually turn her head slightly. Her eyes twinkled, and a playful smile tugged at her lips. "An irregular, Nico! There's an _irregular_ on the Lowest Floor!"

Nico gaped. "It can't be," he sputtered, sounding a little out of breath – the running was getting to him – yet still matching Reyna, stride for stride.

Reyna, apparently enjoying her little triumph, sprinted down the next flight of stairs.

"And guess what else, Nico? That irregular apparently opened the door himself!"

She let out a little whoop. "Did you hear that? He literally _opened the door_!" she chortled.

"Magnificent!"

"But – but if that's true," Nico yelled behind her, "that's a big deal, isn't it? Opening the door yourself?"

Reyna snorted. "Of course it is," she now slowed down quite drastically, causing Nico to nearly crash into her nice, firm posterior. _(A/N :3)_

"Slow down now, we don't want to be spotted."

They were within sight of a light shining in the distance, and they stepped out of the final flight of stairs.

Nico caught his breath. "What do you mean, _spotted_?"

The lady merely grinned playfully again. A slightly fearful, yet grudgingly admiring, look came upon Nico's face. "You surely don't plan on … _watching_?"

Reyna slapped Nico on the head, an act which actually required her to bend down a little. "What do you _think_ , Nico?"

Nico merely sighed as Reyna strode towards the light. "Come on, Headon's probably with him right now!"

 _That woman is going to be the death of me,_ Nico thought. Out loud, he said, "But – what's the point? Do you know what'll happen to us if we get caught?"

"But it sounds fun, doesn't it?" Reyna yelled from the distance, her voice already fading.

"No, not at all!" Nico yelled, reluctantly following. "It sounds bloody dangerous, if you ask me!"

"Nico's a c-o-w-a-r-d," Reyna's voice mocked. "Hurry, it's about to start."

Several minutes later, Nico found himself leaning over a huge chasm bored into the stone floor, squinting into the enormous room that was the Lowest Floor, trying to make out Headon – and the irregular.

Despite himself, Nico was curious – someone had the courage, or the balls, to go into the Lowest Floor, and an irregular, at that! This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,

possibly one of the rarest things to happen inside the Tower. Despite what he had said earlier, he wouldn't miss this for the world.

Beside him, Reyna let out an impatient titter. "Where _are_ they?"

For once, Nico felt good that he _was_ the one to mote out information. He was a guide, after all. "Be patient, my lady. They'll show themselves."

Reyna groaned, but kept silent.

After a few minutes spent in the dark, Nico pointed. "There they are."

Beside him, Reyna crawled forward, her breath coming in excited gasps. "Where?" she demanded once more.

Nico was slightly better at maintaining his composure, but even he was excited as he took his first glance at the _irregular_.

His first impression was that of profound disappointment. Firstly, he was much too young, Nico's brain told him. And he looked too … _normal_.

Reyna apparently shared the same sentiments, letting out a small puff of air from her nose. "Is that him?" she asked, before slumping slightly. "Man, what a disappointment."

 _Tell me about it_ , Nico thought. "He does seem a bit … underpowered for an irregular."

"Underpowered?" Reyna said. " _Look at him_. He's a stick, for crying out loud. And he looks like he'll be struck down by a breeze. I thought he'd be a monster or something."

She sighed. "Don't tell me I came all the way here for nothing…"

 _This was your idea_ , Nico mouthed silently. Not that he'd actually ever say that to her face, of course. Lady Reyna could be touchy – and a bit childish.

But along with that childishness came youth, and a certain kind of _je ne sais quoi_ that made her such a powerful force in the Tower.

And – as she had just recently affirmed – quite unpredictable.

"What do you think?" Reyna now prodded Nico hopefully. "You're the guide. What's your opinion?"

Nico bit his lips, then shrugged. "All of the irregulars so far have been … powerful, to say the least – "

Reyna nodded. "People like Urek. Or Phantaminum."

" – but maybe he has something up his sleeve, like transformation, or something. I'm not sure. He does look agile, but he doesn't seem to be mixed with any other species."

Yes, Nico was certain, he was, totally, without a doubt, absolutely –

"He's just a normal kid," he finished. "And … "

"…and?" Reyna urged.

"I can't feel that special kind of … _power_ … that I've felt before. From other irregulars like Urek, Phantaminum."

Reyna couldn't hide her disappointment. " _Man_. And I came here expecting something exciting."

Nico couldn't help but share her disappointment. To be quite frank, his heart had started pounding the moment he had heard that an irregular had entered the Tower. All previous irregulars – now-legendary figures like Urek and Phantaminum – had all been beings of extraordinary strength and power, possibly even stronger than Lady Reyna and definitely above Nico's own level.

But … this was some kid. He didn't look like he would be able to get past the first level, let alone climb to the top of the Tower.

A _clanking_ noise drew his attention to the far wall of the Lowest Floor, and he couldn't help but chuckle slightly at Headon's decision.

"He's bringing out the Ball," he muttered.

Reyna leaned forward from where she had been slouching. "Hmm?"

Nico now gasped as something big and dark came into view. "Oh, Headon, this is going too far," he murmured to himself. Reyna drew near him, her curiosity piqued. She gasped audibly.

"Look at the _size_ of that thing!" (A/N. :). )

For she had just spotted the Spirit-fish that was making its way, teeth bared, toward the boy.

Nico gulped. "I don't know what Headon's thinking. He'll die for sure. Normally, a Spirit-fish of that size wouldn't appear until … the Twentieth Floor, at least."

Reyna squinted. "Maybe he's trying to persuade him to give up?"

"Well," Nico watched in glum distaste as the boy took a step backward below him. "I guess we know one thing for certain."

Reyna looked up. "And what's that?"

Nico managed a small grin. "His journey ends here."

These words seemed to have a more powerful effect on Reyna than Nico intended, as she sank into a cloud of thought.

Both of them watched Headon and the irregular trade words in silence.

Reyna broke the atmosphere. "Should we help him?"

Nico hung his head. _I knew it_. "Don't be stupid."

Normally, such a sentence would've earned him a stinging rebuke and a smart rap against the forehead, but Reyna was preoccupied. "Why not? He's so _pitiable_. I mean, look at him."

"But do you realize the consequences of – "

Reyna cut him off. "And irregulars have always brought upheavals within the Tower. Big changes, Nico. I'm talking massive power shifts," she said, positively salivating.

"We don't _need_ change!" Nico cried. "No one likes irregulars! No one!"

Reyna pursed her lips. "Hmmm," she said, apparently on the verge of coming to a decision, her eyes locked on the Lowest Floor below.

Nico shook his head forcefully. "Seriously, my lady, this is _not_ a good idea."

"And why is that?"

"Well, most importantly, if the King hears about this," – and here Nico made a chopping motion with his hands across his throat – "we're done for. Executed. Do you hear me?"

"Hmmm."

Nico threw up his hands. "Whatever, it doesn't matter anyways."

"And why is _that_?"

"Because he's not going to take the test. He's going to run away, obviously."

Reyna seemingly couldn't contain her grin any longer, and a smile spread across her face.

"A- _ha_ , Nico! Is this when I finally get to one-up you?"

Nico was caught unaware by this. "What do you mean?"

The lady simply pointed below her, one finger extending down into the chamber. "Things are finally getting _interesting_."

Nico somehow knew what was going to happen before his eyes had the chance.

"He's _running_ ," he said in disbelief.

"Quite."

"Towards the Spirit-fish."

"Yes."

Nico looked up at Reyna, whose grin was still plastered on her face, and he knew that the battle was lost.

"I'll be right back, Nico!" Reyna yelled, and in one fluid motion, jumped off from the ledge into the Spirit-fish chamber below.

"No, my lady, please – "

"Stop _worrying_ about meeeeeeeee!" she yelled, her voice growing smaller.

Nico watched as Reyna gradually shrank from view. "It's not _you_ I'm worried about," he muttered to himself. "It's _me."_

* * *

Blood rushed into Percy's head. His hands were balled into fists. He took one brave step forward, then two. Then three.

The Spirit fish clawed its way, slowly, towards him, almost as if it was analyzing him, questioning him, for being foolhardy enough to step into his domain.

And beyond the fish, Percy could barely make out his destination: the black, round Ball, suspended in midair at chest height.

He needed to find a way around the Spirit-fish, he thought. No sooner had the thought entered his mind when it ruled that out as impossible. The fish was simply too quick.

Had he indeed entered a losing battle, like Headon said? Was he doomed to die here, not knowing where Annabeth had gone? Annabeth, who had mysteriously departed, leaving him all alone in the darkness? Annabeth, who had been his only friend, his mentor, his foundation?

Energy filled his body again. He _must_ find a way. For Annabeth.

Percy dug his heels into the gravel beneath his feet. He must outrun the Spirit-fish, and he must do it head-on. No use going around.

He began sprinting.

The next thing he felt was a solid _smack_ on his forehead, then darkness.

When he came to, he was lying spread-eagled on the floor, his head throbbing. He could see Headon to his right, and from the way he handled his staff, Percy could tell he was anxious about something.

To his left, there was …

Percy squinted. Someone he had not seen before. It was a woman. Percy had never seen humans other than Annabeth, but knew from what she had told him that others existed like them.

He also knew, from the look in her blood-red eyes, that this wasn't a person to trifle with.

However, she was beautiful. Her faceful featured were most delicate; she looked as if she could be a teenager.

The woman now came up to him in big, powerful strides, and leaned over, ignoring Headon. She said something; Percy couldn't understand, and it sounded like unintelligible gibberish. She tilted her head a little, apparently puzzled. Even if she were able to speak to Percy, he wouldn't have been able to answer. He was too focused staring at the eh assets, that Annabeth simply didn't have.

This wasn't exactly how Reyna had planned her grand entrance.

She hadn't planned on smacking the irregular in the face with her foot in the first place, for example. But she had miscalculated.

She did calculate, however, the conditions needed to perform a backflip after hitting the irregular's face (which she did).

Reyna had also calculated on the boy being able to _understand her_ , but fortunately, that wasn't a significant problem. "Hey, Headon," she called out to the Guardian of the Lowest Floor. "Don't tell me you didn't even give this guy a Pocket?"

Headon scratched his head. "Whoops," he said now. "I suppose I forgot."

Reyna snorted. "Forgot, my ass. A veteran of the Tower, _forget_ to give a newbie a Pocket?"

The Guardian grinned, or what seemed like it – the lack of eyes made it quite hard to tell.

His elongated ears twitched slightly. "Really, now. I make mistakes, too."

Reyna sighed, then raised her voice. "Hey, Nico!"

From way up high, Nico groaned. _Why does she have to bring me into this?_

"Nico!"

Nico muttered something under his breath. "Yes, my lady?"

"Stop being shy and get down here!"

Headon observed these proceedings calmly, and watched the diminutive man fall into the chamber, landing safely on his two feet. "Well, well," he said. "I should've known you were the guide."

He twirled his staff. "Nico Edlock."

Nico grinned, but couldn't help drawing back, just a little. "Hello, sir Headon," he said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Reyna rolled her eyes. "Enough with the fake diplomacy," she said. "Do you have a spare Pocket? I thought you always kept one around?"

The guide nodded. "Yes, it should be in my pack somewhere," he said, setting down his luggage and beginning to browse through it.

"Give it to the newbie here," Reyna said, pointing towards Percy with her chin. "Headon didn't even give him a Pocket."

Percy, meanwhile, had been observing the scene with curiosity and confusion. Who were these people that had suddenly appeared from nowhere? Were they Administrators like Headon?

Nico had found the Pocket. "Here we are," he drew the small, black, round object from one of the numerous side pockets. It was approximately the size of a large fist. "It's a bit out of your league," Nico said, extending the ball towards the irregular. "But it's all I've got right now…"

Percy regarded the object that the second person now held out to him. Was he supposed to take it? He did so, gingerly. For the first few seconds, nothing happened – the ball simply sat, somewhat heavily, in his palms.

Just when he was about to explain that nothing was happening, he felt a curious sensation. There was a brief rush of wind surrounding his body, and the world seemed to go into a tailspin for a brief moment. The black ball rose into the air, and strange white markings appeared on its surface before disappearing again.

Nico and Reyna looked at him expectantly. The Pocket now floated in midair, making small circles.

"Well? Newbie?" Nico prodded. Percy looked up – or rather, down – at the new figure. "Can you hear me? This is called a Pocket. It's yours now."

Percy hesitated, then nodded. The gibberish had been transformed into normal speech; he wasn't sure, but was fairly certain that the ball – the "Pocket" – had something to do with it.

While Percy was admiring the Pocket, Nico took a few seconds to look him over.

Everything seemed to be the same as when he had first seem him from above. He was small and scrawny; probably wouldn't last five seconds in a fight.

Reyna shouldered Nico aside. "Hey, newbie," she said.

Percy looked up from the Pocket at the imposing figure. "Y – yes?" he said, hesitantly. Reyna grinned. " _Finally_ you understand me! You should be happy, that's a pretty expensive Pocket – especially for your level."

The ball floated at waist level. Percy couldn't hide his curiosity. "I can understand you now. Is it because of this … thing? This 'Pocket'?"

Reyna nodded. Percy shook his head in awe. "That's…that's impossible."

Nico grinned. "If you can't wrap your head around this, the rest of the Tower will be mighty surprising for you."

He held out his hand to shake. "I'll introduce myself. I'm an A-ranked guide and one of the Rankers of the Tower. My name is Nico Edlock. And that lady over there who gave you that scar on your forehead" – here Reyna growled slightly – "is another Ranker, Lady Reyna."

"Pleased … pleased to meet you."

"Pleasure," Nico said. "Oh, and about that Pocket – it has a lot of uses in the Tower, but for now, just remember that it will translate all languages into Maxess, the language of the Tower. Understand?"

Percy nodded.

"Now, just one more thing – try saying 'invisible mode' to the Pocket."

The newbie complied. The Pocket promptly vanished.

Before Percy could express his surprise, Nico held up his hand. "Don't worry – it's not gone, just invisible. Saying 'visible mode' will bring it back to normal – like so."

For Percy had just uttered the command. The Pocket re-appeared. "Oh!"

Nico nodded. "The Tower has a lot of strange things like that. You're going to have to get used to them."

Meanwhile, Reyna had been having a discussion with Headon.

"Headon," she said, while Nico and Percy were busy with the Pocket. "Don't you think it's a bit unfair to try and kick him out of the Tower, just because he's an irregular?"

Headon shrugged and frowned. "I don't understand what you mean. I'm merely giving the test in a fair and concise way, not trying to boot him from the Tower."

Reyna's voice rose. "If you're going to make excuses, at least try to make them believable," she spat, hands on her hips. "This difficulty level is appropriate for the Twentieth Floor, not here!"

The Guardian of the Lowest Floor remained unperturbed. "Princess Reyna," he now said. "You've noticed that this boy here is an irregular, haven't you?"

From a few paces away, Percy turned his head. _Are they talking about me_?

"For an irregular, this level of difficulty is not only appropriate, it is _normal_ ," Headon said. "Surely you're aware of the fantastical powers that the other irregulars possess?"

"Um – excuse me," Percy said, hesitantly.

In unison, both Headon and Reyna turned to stare at the newcomer to the Tower.

"You keep calling me an irregular," he said. "What … what is that?"

It was Reyna who answered him. "An irregular is someone like you," she said, staring at him. Her voice had become quieter. "Beings who have come into the Tower by themselves. Those who haven't been chosen, but instead choose for their own."

"This Tower…" Reyna gestured to their surroundings. "This Tower can only be entered by the chosen. But infrequently … very rarely, in fact … people like you, the one who weren't chosen and decide to enter the Tower on their own, attempt to climb the Tower."

Nico now spoke from behind him. "Every time an irregular has entered the Tower, that person has brought incredible change and turmoil within the institution," he spoke quietly. "All of them possessed powers beyond regular imagination, so people naturally feared them."

Percy couldn't wrap his head around the subject _. I'm an … irregular? So people will fear … me_? Somehow, it seemed nearly comical.

Reyna now spoke in a businesslike tone. "Headon, I'd like to suggest something."

If Headon had eyebrows, he would've raised them. "What is your suggestion?"

"It's pretty clear – to me, at least – that this irregular is nowhere on the scale of the previous entries," she said.

Percy felt a bit left out of this conversation, but Reyna pushed forward. "So what do you say to lowering the difficulty scale a little?"

Headon regarded Percy, then Reyna. "Princess Reyna," he spoke after a few seconds, and this time his voice contained an inflection of the mildest annoyance mixed with amusement. "It seems like you want him to climb the Tower."

Reyna remained silent.

Headon regarded both of them for a while, interrupted only by the desolate cries of the Spirit-fish behind them (which seemed to have become somewhat lonely). Finally, he spoke. "Very well," he said, turning around abruptly. "I'll change the rules a little, if it suits you."

Reyna smiled. "Thanks, Headon." she said. "I was sure that you'll – "

"How about Princess Reyna lending him the Black March?"

Reyna froze mid-sentence. Nico let out an audible gasp.

"The … the Black …?"

Headon's teeth glinted. "Lending weapons are against the rules of the test," he mused.

"But I think we can … make one exception to this rule. If you agree to lend the boy your Black March – your weapon – I'll accept it as an advantage."

Reyna's gaze faltered. "The … the Black March is a bit …"

"What do you mean?" Headon said, clearly relishing the moment. "Are you afraid? Do you wish to send the boy skyward, but without sacrificing any of yourself?"

Nico couldn't take it any longer. "Headon!" he yelled. "You know what the Black March is, you rascally rabbit of a – "

"Fine."

Nico's next words caught in his throat. "Lady Reyna – "

Reyna ignored him. "Hey, newbie!" she now yelled at Percy. "Do you have a name?"

"Y – yes, my name's Percy – "

"Alright, _Percy_ – listen up," Reyna pointed toward him. "I'm going to give you something. But before I do, I want you to answer something for me."

Percy nodded.

"Do you want to go up the Tower?"

He nodded again, without hesitation. "I – I need to find someone."

"You could die. Possibly before you could ever find the person you're looking for."

Nico could see that something burned in Reyna's eyes, a red flame that he knew was the sign that something big was about to happen.

Percy paused for a second, then nodded once more.

Reyna sighed. "Alright, kid. Stand back."

Both Nico and Percy took steps backward.

"Weapons inventory – visible mode."

What happened next, even Nico wasn't able to completely hide his awe, for he had seen it only a few times before. An extended sword holder magically appeared beside Reyna, containing dozens of swords and an array of other weapons.

If it was aweing for Nico, it was absolutely mind-blowing for Percy, who watched with his jaws open as Reyna carefully drew out the longest, thinnest, and most beautiful sword of them all. It was pitch black, needle-sharp, and taller than Percy himself.

Nico was compelled to make one final effort. "Lady Reyna! You can't possibly – "

Reyna glared at him. "I do what I want."

"But it's the _Black March_!" Nico yelled. "If the King finds out what you're going to do with it – "

The ground cracked slightly beneath Reyna's feet, and Nico fell silent, although he kept watching with worried eyes.

"Here, kid." Reyna held out the sword for him to take. Percy shook his head. "No, I couldn't possibly, you keep it – "

Reyna knelt down to his eye level. "Listen up. You say you want to find someone?"

Percy nodded.

"And you'd stop at nothing?"

He nodded once more.

"Then shut up and take the sword, before I change my mind."

Silently – and with Nico looking on in disapproval – Percy took the sword from Reyna.

"I'm only letting you borrow it, remember," Reyna stood up again. "This is called the Black March. It's one of the most powerful swords in the Tower."

She watched as Percy handled the sword. "Not bad. At least you're not stabbing yourself with it."

Nico stepped forward; if he couldn't change her decision, he might as well explain its importance. "The Black March is one of thirteen in a series," he told Percy. "It's partially alive, so if it ever 'ignites', it will give you incredible power."

Here, Nico turned slightly toward Reyna. "It's never ignited for Lady Reyna, though."

Reyna ignored him. "Even if you have the sword, the chances of you winning against that Spirit-fish are incredibly low," she cautioned. As if on cue, the Spirit-fish roared behind them. The hairs stood up on Nico's back.

"But if you still want to try … go ahead."

She walked away. It was all up to Percy now.

Percy glanced at the sword, then at the Spirit-fish, then at Reyna. "Thank you," he said to her, retreating backwards.

"I promise I'll return it to you."

Nico followed Reyna to a safe distance away from the arena. "My lady," he said. "Can I ask you a question?"

Reyna smirked. "I suppose I owe you one."

"Do you really believe … that this irregular … that _kid_ … can bring change to the Tower?"

She remained silent for a few seconds. "I don't hold ridiculous expectations."

Nico was quiet as he watched the shape of Percy's back disappear into the blue mist.

"I just like him, that's all."

In front of him, the Spirit-fish roared. Percy held the Black March at eye level. He felt more reassured now, like the weapon had given him a power of his own.

He stood facing the enormous creature. Its jaws were wide, and the teeth glistened. He dug his heels into the gravel, and began sprinting.

Now, he had _two_ promises to keep.

* * *

 _A/N: Chapter 2 Ladies and Gents! YouR_ _ **Hints**_ _Will become lEss subtle. Chapter 2.5 will be released a little later around Sunday Afternoon, (PDT TIME) because I'm going camping over the weekend! As always, ask questions! I will answer most questions so if you feel curious about anything, don't be afraid to ask. My birthday is on the 23rd of this month so I might make a special release or something :P._

 _I haven't decided whether or not to fully commit, so please leave a **like, review, or/and follow**. Thanks!_

 _Sorry, I changed Reyna's appearance and Nico's a bit._

 _Give me your thoughts through review!_

 _And as always, thanks for reading :)_

 _~V_


	4. The Ball

Chapter 3

Story adapted from "Tower of God" by SIU

In the crushing darkness…

She was my friend.

In the impenetrable night...

She was my star.

She taught me to speak

and to listen

and to hear.

She taught me

about the world

about life

about people.

She taught me how to live.

Although I've never seen the sky

And was born in darkness

When she appeared in my life

I knew this is what it must look like.

It was beautiful.

 _She_ was beautiful.

—-

Although death hadn't been a huge topic of discussion between Percy and Annabeth in their cave, it now filled every spectrum of his mind.

Coming face-to-face with a monstrous, hungry flying fish would do that to a person, Percy mused, as he tightened his grip on the Black March – Lady Reyna's gift to him. A gift with a condition: that he return it, safe and sound, when this was all over.

If he died at the hands of that… monster, Percy wouldn't only fail himself. He would fail Reyna. Worst of all, he would fail Annabeth.

There were worse things than death.

The blue-tinged scales shimmered mere steps away. He was close now, and a sudden thought – a crazy, suicidal thought – wormed its way into Percy's brain. Like all of his thoughts in the past few seconds, it had the shadow of death; but this one was different.

This one was a plan. And as the Spirit-fish bore down upon its prey, Percy steeled himself for what would come next.

—

From far away, Reyna and Nico watched as the irregular continued his path, the Black March held high, its needlepoint finish catching the rays of the shimmering blue haze of the Spirit.

They had been silent ever since Reyna had handed over her Black March; her sword; her most important possession; and to a certain degree, her life.

Nico still thought the whole thing was a horrible idea.

Next to him, Reyna bit her lips, arms crossed.

Nico broke the silence. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"I'm worried," Reyna said, truthfully. "I gave him the Black March for nothing," she sighed. "He's not going to stand a chance against that thing. Even with the sword. It's impossible."

"Hmm," Nico pursed his lips. In truth, it wasn't _impossible_ – few things were. There was one way to slip past the Spirit-fish; he had encountered a similar test when he was climbing the Tower, eons ago.

There exists a huge overwhelming difference between the two.

Of course the boy will avoid fighting the eel. He will try to escape from it and go directly to the ball to pop it.

However here was no use running; the blue, hazy Spirit in which the fish made its home gave it unusual speed.

There was also no use trying to stab it; its scales were nigh impenetrable.

There was no use trying to calm it down; it was hungry, and it was a predator. And a predator must hunt its prey.

The most important thing was that, to the Spirit-fish, people like Percy weren't the enemy; they were merely food, a bite-sized snack. It would swallow him without a second thought. And he could use that to his advantage.

If he doesn't resist, the eel will swallow him whole.

That is his chance to strike.

But he couldn't tell that to Percy, even if he had cared to. He was a Guide with a capital G, and a Guide could **only reveal the path to those who can follow it**. That was the way of the Guide. That was his duty.

The best choice of action for the boy, as it stood now, was for him to put up a valiant effort against the Spirit-fish, realize his weakness, and be rescued by Lady Reyna or Headon at the last minute. Because the boy had spunk, he'd give him that, but he was certainly not capable of the sheer amounts of courage, the nerves of steel, the ability to throw down his life for a minuscule chance of survival that was necessary to execute the –

"Nico! Look!"

Reyna's frantic tug at his arm broke him out of his spell.

"He's not running! _Why is he not running?_ "

Nico's eyes widened as he followed Reyna's gaze. The boy was just… standing there. Not even moving. Just standing still, like he was frozen in place.

Seeing easy prey, the Spirit-fish continued its line of attack. It opened its jaws wide, anticipating meat. Its cavernous mouth was filled with rows and rows of dripping, serrated teeth.

With a single, fell swoop, Percy disappeared into the maw of the beast. The jaws closed with a smash, sending reverberations into the spirit-laden air around it.

Beside Nico, Reyna spluttered. "That's – that's it?" she yelled, unbuttoning her coat and throwing it aside. "I've got to get him out of there, Nico – "

"Wait!" Nico yelled, grabbing her wrist and holding her back. "You can't!"

Reyna's eyes burned red. "Don't damn well tell me what to do, Nico Edlock! I am a Lady of the House of Zahard, and I – "

"No, that's not – !" Nico didn't let go, despite her murderous gaze (this wasn't a mere expression; Reyna's gaze, when sufficiently angry, was enough to level a building).

"This is…" he swallowed. "This is the answer."

"What kind of bullcrap is that?! What do you mean getting eaten is the answer?!"

Nico pointed. "Look!"

Reyna turned around, and her jaw dropped. Nothing surprised her much anymore, as she was perhaps one of a handful of people who had explored the Tower to the extent that she had, but what unfolded in front of her eyes was more than even she could fathom.

The tip of the Black March protruded from the bottom of the monster's jaw. It had run clean through its mouth; a slow steady stream of blood began trickling down to the ground.

The Spirit-Fish swayed for a few seconds, let loose a bleating cry, then fell with a crash onto the ground. Its jaws opened wide, and inside was Percy, breathing hard and covered in slime, but alive. He tugged the Black March free.

Reyna gaped. "What… how?"

"Facing the eel without struggling! That is the only way to pass this test. But in order to do that, he needs enormous courage, determination, and judgement. That's what this test is about! Right? Mr. Headon?"

"Might as well be positive."

Nico's then closed his mouth, but that didn't lessen his surprise – or his grudging respect. He crossed his arms and started at the boy, who was struggling to free himself from the pool of saliva that now spread across the stone floor.

Reyna grabbed him by his collar. "Nico, you… Why didn't you tell him about the path from the start..?" she spluttered, her face turning red.

"It doesn't really help… usually.. Most of the time-even if one can think of it, they can't follow through. Courage and Determination aren't exhibited so easily. Courage is built on confidence due to exhaustive training, but what he has is nothing, _nothing_ , like courage _or_ bravery." Reyna loosened her grip at these words.

"The _fear_ of _losing_ the one he's looking for is _swallowing_ his other fears."

Suddenly dizzy, she released Nico and sat cross-legged on the ground. "Impressive," she said, looking up at Nico. "Still think this was a bad idea?"

Nico ignored her. "Test's not over yet," he said tersely.

—-

Percy ignored the murky, dripping saliva coating his body as he struggled to get on his feet and tried not to retch as the Spirit-Fish's mouth hung open mere inches away, exuding one of the foulest scents he had ever smelled. He put all of that behind for now, and began running.

He could see the Ball just ahead of him. It was so close – just a few more seconds would put him on top of it. Behind him, the Spirit-fish thrashed and fell still, the ground shuddering under its weight. It wasn't dead; even Percy knew that much. But it would give him enough time.

The black sphere loomed closer, a shimmering haze surrounding it; he was finally within striking distance. Without hesitation, Percy plunged the Black March into the pitch-black darkness of the Ball.

Nothing happened. He tried tugging at the sword; it refused to budge. Percy didn't know what to do; a thin stream of sweat ran down his brow and his heartbeat quickened. Was he supposed to turn it a certain way? Say something? An incantation, maybe?

No matter what he tried, the sword wouldn't come free, and the Ball still remained. Percy was at a dead-end.

—

An angry Reyna was a sight to behold. Nico had seen it several times before, but it was always an impressive demonstration of the amount of sheer power that her petite frame concealed.

Now, as she marched on Headon with the ground cracking under her feet and a dark shadow emanating from her eyes, Nico appreciated the fact that this time, at least, it wasn't aimed at him.

"Headon," Reyna growled, "What's wrong with that ball?"

Standing inches away from each other, Reyna's decidedly taller stance caused Headon to lean back slightly, but he didn't budge from his position.

"I'm not sure," Headon replied, twirling his staff. He smiled his ghastly smile, showing off his pointed teeth that stretched all the way across his oblong, eyeless face. "What do you suppose could have happened?"

For a split second, Reyna seemed to be on the verge of knocking Headon's staff out of his hand, but her relatively cooler side prevailed. "The sword didn't even make a dent!" she hollered. "And now it won't come out! The _Black March_ is stuck – _stuck_ , Headon! Don't pretend you're not behind this – you did something to that ball, didn't you!?"

If Headon was supposed to be intimidated by Reyna's gesturing, Nico thought, it wasn't working too well; in fact, his smile seemed to grow even wider, if that was possible.

" _It must be a really strong ball,"_

said the Guardian of the Lowest Floor slowly, his omnipresent smile growing.

Behind them, in the depths of the blue mist, the Spirit-fish twitched back to life.

—-

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who wanted nothing more than to be with the beautiful stars in the sky. On clear, moonless, nights, she would lean out her bedroom window, gazing up at the thousand tiny lights scattered across the heavens, wondering what it would be like to hold one in her hand.

On a warm summer evening, a night when the stars shined more brightly than ever before, she decided she couldn't stand it any longer-she just had to at least touch a star or two, no matter what. So she slipped out the window, and started off by herself to see if she could reach them. She walked a far, far way, and then further still, until she came to a mill wheel, creaking and grinding away. "Good evening, I would like to play with the stars in the sky. Have you seen any near here?"

"Ah, yes," The old mill wheel groaned. "Every night they shine in my face from the surface of this pond until I cannot sleep. Jump in, little girl, and you will find them." The little girl jumped into the pond and swam around until her arms were so tired she could swim no longer, but she could not find any stars.

"Excuse me," she called to the old mill wheel, "but I don't believe there are any stars here after all!"

"Well, there certainly were before you jumped in and stirred the water up," the mill wheel called back. So she climbed out and dried herself off as best she could, and set out again across the fields. After a while she came to a little brook, murmuring over its mossy stones.

"Good evening, brooklet," she said politely. "I'm trying to reach the stars in the sky so I may play with them. Have you seen any near here?"

"Ah, yes," whispered the brooklet. "They glint on my banks at night until I cannot sleep. Wade in, little girl , and you will find them."

So the little girl waded in and paddled around for a while, and climbed all over the mossy rocks, but never once did she find a star. "Excuse me," she said as politely as she could, "but I just don't think there are any stars here."

"What do you mean, no stars here?" the little brook babbled. "There are lots of stars here. I see them all the time. On some nights, they cover me from the edge of the woods all the way down to the old mill pond. I have more stars here than I know what to do with." And the brooklet babbled on and on until it even forgot the little girl was there, so she tiptoed away across the fields. After a while she sat down to rest in a meadow, and it must have been a fairy meadow, because before she knew it a hundred little fairies came scampering out to dance on the grass. They were no taller than toadstools, but they were dressed in silver and gold.

"Good evening, Little Folk," said the girl. "I'm trying to reach the stars in the sky. Have you seen any near here?"

"Ah, yes," sang the fairies. "They glisten every night among the blades of the grass. Come and dance with us, little lass, and you will find as many stars as you like." So the girl danced and danced, she whirled round and round in a ring with the Little Folk, but though the grass gleamed beneath her feet, she never spied a single star. Finally she could dance no longer, and she plopped down inside the ring of fairies.

"I've tried and I've tried, but I can't seem to reach the stars down here," she cried. "If you don't help me, I'll never find any to play with." The fairies all whispered together. Finally one of them crept up and took her by the hand, and said:

"If you're really determined, you must go forward. Keep going forward, and mind you take the right road and search for a little tree. Ask No Eyes! No Eyes will surely lead you to the right way!" "Then I'll be among the stars in the sky?" cried the little girl. "If you'll not be there, then you'll be somewhere else, won't you?" laughed the fairy, and he vanished with all the rest. So the little girl set out again with a light heart, and finally, she came to the spoken of tree.

"Good evening," she said. "I'm trying to reach the stars in the sky, and I've come so far. My bones are aching. Will you get me to the stars?"

"Do you want to live among the stars?"

"Very much so," the little girl replied, a tinge of excitement creeping in her voice.

"If you want it that much, I have a way."

No Eyes smiled, showing his sharp incisors.


	5. The Black March

Chapter 5

Story adapted from "Tower of God" by SIU

* * *

" _Arghhhh!"_

Percy's screams echoed hollow across the Lowest Floor as he struggled against the immovable black ball that now held his Black March hostage. Behind him, he could sense the Spirit-fish – the large, foul creature that patrolled these depths – regain its footing, spitting out blood from where he had stabbed it earlier in the mouth.

Far away, beyond the cage, Reyna's hands had balled into fists. "HEADON!" she yelled, physically grabbing him by the collar. "You nasty, little, rotten rabbit of a…"

"My lady!" Nico wrestled himself between the two of them, forcing them apart. "As your Guide, I must order you to stop!"

Reyna, still seething, disengaged her arms. Headon smoothed out the creases on his robes.

"You didn't even give him a chance," Reyna sputtered. "I've never – _never!_ – seen anything that could withstand the Black March. And you're telling me that this is a fair test for the first level? Are you kidding me? Cancel this exam, right now, or I'll see to it that you spend the rest of your life cleaning the Zahard toilets!"

Headon spun his staff. "I'm sorry, my lady, but I can't do that. The test has already started. It is beyond my power to stop it, unless he gives up willingly."

"So you intended to make him fail the test, didn't you?! You damn rabbit! Stop the test now!"

"Sorry I can't, Once the test is started, it can only end when he gives up."

Reyna spun towards the cage, where the Spirit-fish was nearly back on its feet (or flippers, as the case may be.) "Percy! Can you hear me? You've got to get out of there right now!" she yelled.

Percy could hear her faintly in the distance, but he ignored her. He was almost there, he was sure of it. Just a few more pulls…

His sweat ran down his brow and dripped to the ground. He kept tugging. Behind him, he could hear Reyna's voice: "You've got to give up! This test is impossible!"

Before she could say anything more, the Spirit-fish let loose a loud roar that shook the stone walls, raining down a hail of loose dirt and rock on the entire floor.

"Oh, no," Reyna breathed, as the monster started to once again search for its prey. Its humongous, oblong body shimmered in the air as it wrapped its tendrils around every column and every corner, searching for the meal that escaped.

She gritted her teeth. "That's it," she said. "I'm going in there and I'm getting him myself. Nico, I'm going to need your support – "

She was about to dart into the field when Nico suddenly grabbed her wrist. "My lady. Wait."

Reyna turned to him, stunned. "Wait? Are you serious?" she freed herself from his grip. "You know the situation as well as I do, Nico… "

"No." Nico was staring at the cage with great concentration, his eyebrows furrowed. "He still has the Black March. There's one more thing he can do."

Reyna hesitated, then laughed. "Oh, come on, Nico. There's no way…" even as she said it, she recognized a glimmer of hope that was quickly extinguished by her common sense.

"He can't do it, Nico. It's impossible."

Nico ignored her and called out to Percy. "Hey! Rookie!" Nico's voice carried clearly, even though he was hundreds of meters away. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" The panic was evident in Percy's voice as he continued struggling with the Black March. He tugged on it with all his might, but it refused to budge. "What am I supposed to do? It won't come out!"

-Here Reyna interjected, "Are you nuts Nico?"

"Okay, yeah, there's one more thing you can try." Nico said, a little apprehensively. Next to him, Reyna stood, waiting to dash at a moment's notice. "Grab the Black March with both of your hands."

Percy obliged, his heartbeat quickening. He could hear the Spirit-fish come closer and closer; it was bound to spot him any second now.

"Now, talk to it!" Nico yelled. "Ask it for its help! Tell it to ignite!"

Percy blinked. Talk to the sword? Ignite? "I don't – "

"Just do it! You're running out of time!"

"Oh… okay, I'll try!"

Reyna shook her head, her eyes trained on Percy in the distance. "You're crazy if you think this is going to work, Nico. I'm its _owner,_ for crying out loud. It's never even ignited for me, why do you think it's going to help him?"

"It will."

Reyna glanced at him for a brief second. "You're very confident."

"Do you remember telling me about the Black March, when you first got it?" Nico asked. "About how you said it was like handling an unruly child, and it was hard to even hold it properly?"

"Yeah…"

"Then it will work for him."

Reyna was momentarily lost for words. "I do hope you're right."

Nico briefly flashed a grin. "Consider it a Guide's intuition. He's got what it takes."

 _Can you walk down this path?_ He thought to himself. Although he had only met him just a couple minutes ago, he knew that the boy was special. He had… something. Something that only revealed itself to a precious few. And he was certain that he wouldn't be the first person to be attracted to this undefined power that surrounded Percy.

—–

Percy closed his eyes tightly. He wasn't quite sure how to ask a sword for its help, but he could try. _Please help me,_ he thought. _Help me climb the tower._

A loud screech behind him forced his eyes open. The Spirit-fish had finally spotted him; it opened its jaws wide in anticipation. Percy gripped the Black March even tighter in his hand.

 _Please help me – please!_

"Dammit, it's not working!" Reyna swore. "Get out of there!" she yelled, taking out her weapons inventory. Her fingers gripped a sword. "Can you hear me? Nico, let's go!"

Nico wasn't listening; his eyes were focused on the silhouette of the Black March. _Come on,_ he thought. _Show yourself._

A faint glimmer of gold began to diffuse from the Black March. Nico's eyes widened; it was igniting. Beside him, he could hear Reyna gasp.

The sword began to vibrate in Percy's hands as the golden light became brighter, almost as if it were trying to escape its confines. Not a second later, the light coalesced into a shimmering ball of gold, suspended in the air at Percy's eye level.

It stayed that way for a couple seconds, enough time for Reyna to murmur, "That was it?"

Then, the light exploded and radiant energy filled the entire room. Reyna and Nico were both blown back a few inches by its intensity, yet it did not seem to affect Percy at all. He shielded his eyes; the light was too much for him, he had to let go of the sword –

And then, all of a sudden, all of the energy dissipated. Floating in midair, above the sword and connected to it by a thin tendril of remaining gold light, was a woman – the most beautiful woman Percy had ever seen. She had flowing golden tresses and piercing blue eyes. Her dainty hands remained folded on her chest. She was wearing a dress of the purest black; it shimmered against the blue mist that percolated throughout the cage.

"You… you are…" Percy was awestruck. "Who are you?"

She yawned, then smiled. "I am the Black March. You have called me?"

He simply stared. The Black March laughed. It rang like the soft tinkling of a silver bell; Percy's hairs stood up on his skin. "Hahaha… so you want to climb the Tower?"

Percy could merely nod. "You are… the Black March?"

The Black March ignored this. "Precious gold and jewels, most magical fruits and heavenly beauties. Moreover, the taste of power and glory. What is it that drives you to go up amongst all these?"

" _What do you seek?"_

He thought for a moment. "Nothing," he answered truthfully. "I'm looking for… a girl." _Annabeth._

The Black March tilted her head. "Annabeth?" she asked, even though he had never said her name out loud. "What's that? The name of a jewel, a position of power? The most beautiful lady in the land?"

"No… she's none of those," he answered. "She's a friend. She's not a jewel, or – or the most beautiful. She's a tomboy, and she sometimes can be a little mean. But she's the most precious thing to me."

"I'm not really looking to climb the Tower," he finished. "I just want to find her."

The Black March sighed. "Well, aren't you a boring one." She descended to his level, looking him in the eye, her faces inches away from his. "But, y'know, that intrigues me."

She looked around, taking in the situation. Her eyes swept around Headon and the Spirit-fish, which had been temporarily blinded. Her gaze lingered for a second on Reyna and Nico.

"And you're pretty cute." she finally said. "Fine. I'll help you. Just this once, though."

—–

What happened next, neither Reyna nor Nico could have foretold. The Black March disappeared, only to be replaced by a whirlwind that formed at the base of the ball – small at first, then steadily growing, crackling with the energy from the surrounding blue Spirit and tearing up the stonework within the cage. The Spirit-fish roared with confusion; Percy couldn't be seen amidst the haze and the swirling mass of debris that didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Reyna gritted her teeth as the wind reached the outer cage where they were all standing. Her hair blew sideways and she had to struggle to keep her balance, her heels creating groove marks on the floor.

Next to Reyna, Nico was bent double. " _It's – igniting – "_ he spat, the words coming one at a time and carried away almost immediately by the tempest. A big mass of stone flew in their general direction; Reyna held out a hand and it shattered into a thousand pieces, settling harmlessly into the air. Bursts of electricity cracked down from the ceiling far above, focusing on the ball and Percy's approximate location, although Reyna couldn't be sure if he was still there. Hell, she wasn't sure if he was still _alive_.

"Percy! _Percy!_ " she screamed, but it was as effective as throwing a pebble into the ocean; no one could hear anything now.

* * *

 _A/N: Author here! It's interesting to see feedback/discoveries through the reviews so please keep it up!_

 _Short chapter this week! Sorry, but I'll promise a longer one next week._

 _Thanks For Reading!_

 _~V_


	6. Evenkhell's Floor

Chapter 6

Story adapted from "Tower of God" by SIU

 **Floor 43 XXXX Years ago**

Seamless rubble spilled from the guts of a tumbled building, garnering a plume of ashen smoke that filtered up into the reddened, thick sky. Not another sound was heard, with no one to hear it.

The silence was bountiful, almost weeping.

If any had survived, they surely would have listened upon the untapped air and grimaced at the painful emptiness. In the distance, another building collapsed, its descent quiet, in spite of the groan of protest as it tumbled. Broken concrete and ash skirted up around it, floating around for a good measure of time. If any lungs breathed in, the air would have strained, painfully sucking in air, too thick with death, and too little oxygen.

As he awoke, he felt a strong burn in his limbs that he had not felt before. Broken metal and concrete surrounded him, covered him, and for a moment, he feared that his leg was gone, as if it was shattered to the point of recognition. If his leg still had nerves, he couldn't feel it. His newly awakened mind sorted itself to adrenaline, instead of inevitable panic. Doubting that he could, he attempted to move. With no success, he tried to activate his aura, he had zero, none. If he wasn't injured, he would escape in a flash, but in the meantime, he began to assess his injuries. Blood possibly lingered in his lungs, a couple broken ribs, a broken arm, and a broken and crushed leg.

This was not the first time he felt that death was too shy to take him, for this was one of the many instances that he had faced down the odds and only nearly failed.

 _But now he had, and failure was all he could feel._

Not a breath of life remained on the surface, and his throat clenched for more thirst. He hesitantly scaled the wreckage of the building he had been under. Pain shot through him with each step. He stopped at the top of the rubble, limbs screaming for rest. He had been the hope, and all of the worries were put on his shoulders. He had been expected to carry them, but it had been too much. So many things went wrong under his watch. It all hurt, worse than his shattered ribs and bones.

A voice shouted through the dusty and smoky air. A high feminine voice, a voice he recognized to be one of his companions in the mission.

"Nico….?"

" _Damn it_! You can't leave me now- you promised to guide me to the top!"

Throat too dry, and lungs too weak, the call was left unanswered. If he died, he wouldn't have to live in shame, for failing to protect that girl. He was a monster, a God even; for taking and defeating all of them by himself.

Faint sobbing and crying was heard. It was the right choice; giving up his life so she could survive.

She could do _so much more_.

With no other choice of action, he remained still, bleeding out onto the ground. He began to breathe more shallowly as the light started to fade out. When it winked out, taking the last of the light which allowed him to see the burning ground, it felt like a relief to him.

There was mercy in the darkness, this time, Nico welcomed it.

Then, as suddenly as it came, all the movement created by the ignition stopped. No more wind, or lightning, or bursts of light. The air cleared. Both the ball and Percy were gone; the Spirit-fish flopped around weakly in the corner, its energy spent.

"They're… gone?" Reyna blinked, her sword in hand. "How…?"

Nico turned toward Headon, who seemed unaffected by the miniature storm. "Headon, can you explain this?"

Reyna glared. "What did you do this time?"

"I don't know what you mean," Headon said, calmly. "I merely granted his wish, that's all."

"Granted…?" Reyna raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, lady Reyna," Headon bowed slightly. " _Granted._ He wanted a way up to the next floor. I gave it to him."

Reyna gritted her teeth, taking her hands off her weapons. "Headon, I don't know how you're running this place – "

"With the very best intentions, naturally," Headon frowned slightly, or as near as it was possible for a creature with no eyes nor nose to frown. "My task is to test those who enter the tower. And that means preparing… ah… certain _exams_."

"But – "

"Exams that are tailored to the value of their wish," Headon finished. "That is my duty.

 _That_ is my existence."

The purple lights that diffused the room seemed to take on a certain otherworldly glow as Reyna and Headon appraised each other. Reyna didn't say anything; she merely turned her head sideways and stared into the now-empty cage, where Percy and the Spirit-fish had battled it out mere moments before.

"Ummm… my lady?" Nico said, tentatively. Reyna turned around. "What is it?"

"The boy… he took the Black March."

Reyna sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I suppose he did."

"So – what now?"

"Well, we'd better get it back, right?"

"Do you… do you mean that we should follow him?"

Reyna rapped him smartly on the forehead. "Of course. Do you know what would happen if word got out that I _lost_ one of the Thirteen Swords?"

With a final sidelong glance at Headon, Reyna started walking. "Come on, Nico! Let's go find that crazy kid."

"Yes, my lady!"

—–

Reyna's grumbling could fill an entire floor of the Tower, Nico thought to himself, as he tagged alongside his mistress. "For crying out loud, Nico," she now said. "How am I supposed to control the Black March when it turns out that the thing's a _girl?_ This is sexism!"

"Well, I don't know…" Nico said, lost in thought. "That may have not been the only reason."

Reyna noticed his serious face. "What are you thinking about, Nico?"

"Oh, nothing. Just… the irregular."

"What about him?"

"I wonder if… if I was kind of like that. You know, when I first started climbing. A long time ago."

Reyna stared at him for a second, then smartly rapped him on the forehead. "You're funny, Nico."

"What? Why?"

"Well, for one, you don't have his looks."

Nico groaned. "You _know_ what I mean." He started walking again, and for a few minutes, there was silence.

"My lady…" he broke it. There was something niggling away at him.

"What is it, Nico?"

"He will change too… eventually… won't he?"

Reyna glanced at him askance. "How do you mean?"

"In the Tower, there's going to be a lot of things the boy has never seen, or heard, or felt before." Nico glanced upwards. "Ideas and places and schools of thought that defy the imagination and tempt all of us. Like they will for him."

"Even after he experiences everything the Tower has to offer – will he remain the way he is, chasing after his friend? Does that kind of passion even exist? For me… I don't even remember the reason I started climbing the Tower at all. It's all hazy. It's like we're all doppelgangers of who we used to be."

Nico looked upwards at Reyna. "He's going to turn into the same thing, isn't he? Like who we turned out to be?"

Reyna paused and met his eyes for a second, then let loose a booming laugh. "Who're you talking ' _we_ ', little man?" She grinned. "C'mon, don't be so serious. Let's just figure out where he went."

He sighed. "Well… couldn't he have gone to Evenkhell's Floor?"

"Evenkhell's Floor?" Reyna asked. "You mean the Floor of Tests?"

"Well, that's the informal name for it, but yeah," Nico said. "That's where they initially sort the regulars who want to climb the Tower, isn't it? That's where they check their qualifications."

"So you think Headon sent him there?"

"It's a good bet."

"Hmm," Reyna pursed her lips. "But it's super dangerous to break in there. The security's no joke. If we were caught…"

She shook her head. "Well, alright. Let's do it."

Nico blinked. "Do… do what?"

Reyna started walking at a faster pace. "Breaking into the Floor of Tests, of course! I need my sword back, don't I?"

"But – but we're expressly forbidden! We're not allowed to go there!"

"Oh, _please_ , Nico. Like that's ever stopped the two of us!"

"Why can't you just follow the rules for once, huh?" Nico yelled after her, but she ignored him. "Lead the way, my Guide!" she called back.

"Oh, and – " Reyna suddenly stopped and turned around. "You haven't changed at all, Nico," she said. "At least, not since the moment I met you."

She smiled. "You haven't grown any taller, either."

Nico rolled his eyes with a pained expression. "Very funny, miss. You don't see _me_ insulting _you_ about your weight…"

"What _ever_ , Nico." Reyna said, already walking again. "Let's go!"

—–

Percy awoke slowly.

 _Where the heck am I?_

Through his eyelids, he could see that he wasn't on the Lowest Floor anymore – it was bright. Too bright. The kind of yellow brightness that only came from –

The Sun!

He opened his eyes. Far above him, a dazzling yellow light shone down on him. He seemed to be lying in a desolate field, the grass around him taller than himself. As far as he could tell, he was alone.

Then, suddenly, a loud, booming voice echoed across the sky:

" _Hello, good morning, everyone!"_ The voice, seemingly amplified through a microphone with its signature fuzziness, cut through the air. " _Welcome to the Floor of Tests!"_

"Hey, Annabeth. What's – what's this word?" Percy curled up next to Annabeth, squinting, trying to decipher a word on a scroll she had brought down with her today.

Annabeth peered over his shoulder. " _Fight._ "

"Fight?"

"Yeah." Annabeth bit her lip, forehead furrowed in concentration. "You know, like… remember that time you thought the ground was grey, and I thought it was brown?"

Percy frowned. "Kind of."

"That's called fighting."

"So… when I think one thing, and you think another thing, that's fighting?"

"Sometimes." Annabeth yawned, apparently losing interest. "But not all the time."

"What's the difference?"

"Well…" Percy could tell Annabeth was struggling. She often had these moments, he knew – when she had the answer but couldn't explain it in a way he could understand. And every time it happened, he felt a little guiltier. Like he was letting her down.

"Think of it like this." She said finally, after a few moments of silent deliberation. "You and I… we don't think of the floor as the same color, right?"

"Right."

"But that's not really fighting, because we don't care what the other person thinks. It doesn't matter. We're not angry."

Percy nodded.

"But then… there are some… who _do_ get angry about things."

"Like the floor?"

Annabeth laughed. It bounced off the rock walls with a very pleasant sound. "No, I don't think so, Percy. About… other stuff."

It was Percy's turn to frown. "I don't get it," he said. "I don't understand why people would… get angry about anything. Why do people get angry at each other, Annabeth? I've known you for… for a long time, and I'm never angry at _you_."

Annabeth, who had been slowly pacing, sat down in front of him, cross-legged, like a parent would in front of a child. "Imagine how you would feel if someone, anyone, came up to me and punched me in the face, or insulted me, or made me cry. Can you imagine that?"

Percy tried. A slow, bubbling feeling of rage started to fester from inside and his face started to turn red. "Yeah," he said, and he really could imagine.

"That's why."

He slowly nodded. "I think I understand." Percy raised his head to look at Annabeth in the eyes. "I'll fight for you, Annabeth."

—

Annabeth had also taught him about the Sun. A bright, yellow ball of light that burned a long, long distance away, hot enough to heat the entire Tower and that which gave it life.

Now, as Percy slowly blinked his way back into consciousness, the first thing that he saw was the light from the Sun, peeking at him through a thick wave of grass that covered the ground.

Under him was the ground, but this wasn't the ground he was used to in his cave. It wasn't cold, or hard, or craggy; on the contrary, it was soft, loamy and warm to the touch. This was dirt, Percy realized. It felt quite pleasant.

And, of course, there had been the announcement. That loud, booming, disembodied voice that had bid him – and who knows who else – welcome to the 'Floor of Tests'.

As he slowly drew himself up – his joints were a little worse for the wear from his encounter with the Spirit-Fish – he discovered that he was still gripping tightly to the Black March with his right hand. The mysterious lady had disappeared; back into the sword, or into nothingness, he couldn't tell.

Just to make sure, he whispered again to the Black March. "I need help," he said. Nothing happened; the sword remained immobile.

It was just then, when Percy had set the sword back down, that the disembodied voice sprang back to life. This time, it was accompanied by the squeal of static, and Percy _knew_ that someone was using a loudspeaker.

" _Oof_ – sorry about that, folks," the voice said. It was a playful male voice; and for Percy, after a series of dark, brooding, mysterious figures, a welcome voice. It reminded him of Annabeth.

"Well, anyways, welcome," he continued. "Welcome to Evenkhell's Floor, although no one really calls it that, do they?" He laughed. "You all know it as the Floor of Tests, which is, honestly speaking, quite accurate."

"If you need a little refresher, this is the place where all of you are tested to see if you have the right qualities to climb the Tower. Because it's not a place for everyone, you see!"

Percy slowly dusted himself off and stood up, still holding onto the Black March. Although the announcer's tone never strayed from total, absolute friendliness, Percy had the feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worse.

"Since it's not a place for everyone, we've devised this little exam to see who will move up… and who will stay down," the voice continued. Percy thought back to what Headon said. _For every floor you ascend, you will have to take a test._

"We'll go over the complete rules later," the announcer suddenly took a much more businesslike tone. "For now, let's warm up a little, shall we? Just a simple, easy game to start us off. As of right now, there are 400 of you scattered around this world."

Percy looked around. This must be a very big place he had been teleported to; he couldn't see nor hear anyone. Nothing but long grass, swaying in the breeze. Far, far away, he could spy a rocky outcropping. And, of course, above him, the blue sky with the Sun. Was Annabeth among the 400? He hoped so.

"The rules are simple. Actually, there's only one: get that number down to 200! By any means necessary!"

It took a few moments for the voice's last words to sink in; his happiness was a stark contrast to what, Percy gradually began to realize, was going to be a bloodbath.

"Well, good luck!" with that, the unseen megaphone shut off with a _click._

Silence.

Percy held his breath, clutching his Black March tighter. He would've almost rather faced the Spirit-Fish again. He looked around, his eyes darting back and forth. He still seemed to be alone; or, at least, he couldn't see anyone. His breath quickened and he slowly

moved forward.

" _ARGHHH!"_

Percy jumped; there was no doubt what had caused the anguished yell that had (fortunately) come from a distance. Still, he didn't want to be the second in line. He took a step back…

Something whistled past his left ear. If he hadn't taken that step, it would have gone straight through his head. Percy quickly ducked for cover, praying that the long grass would hide him. A few feet away, embedded in the ground, was an arrow, still quivering from its rapid fall.

He had barely time to register this piece of information when another arrow struck the ground, sight unseen, barely audible. This one landed mere inches in front of his nose. He had to move, _now_.

Holding onto the sword, Percy began to crawl, fully aware that the rustling grass was bound to attract attention. He had never felt so powerless. Where could he go? How could he fight? Him, who had never killed anyone, let alone thrown a punch?

He hoped Annabeth was somewhere beyond this. He could not imagine her going through this same thing. Maybe she had… no. He would not allow that thought. He kept crawling. Another arrow, this time to his left. He chanced the briefest of looks, trying to spot his attacker.

There- far off in the distance- he saw a solitary figure. Several hundred feet away, to his right. The person was drawing another arrow, and had surely spotted his head by now. He was a goner this time, for sure. Percy debated whether or not he should just make a run for it; he weighed the pros and cons for a split second before deciding to take the chance.

He closed his eyes tightly and pushed himself off the ground, bracing himself for a piercing pain at any second. It never came, even after several seconds of running, and he opened his eyes – just in time to see the figure keel over and fall to the ground. There would be no more arrows.

But that wasn't much relief, because he knew that whoever had killed his would-be attacker was now gunning for him, too.

He started running.

—

Somewhere else on the ground, much removed from Percy's current struggles, two people were standing still.

The shorter one had pale skin and spiky blonde hair. He carried a leather briefcase that was, at first glance, absolutely normal. He was dressed casually, but with an air of elegance; a navy handkerchief was tied around his forehead, draping down the left side of his face. He wore a white button-down with jeans.

The man he was facing resembled a demon; much taller, he sported four red, bulging arms, a horn, and razor spikes for teeth. He gnashed these teeth together, clearly frothing at the mouth for a battle.

The handkerchiefed man, on the other hand, maintained an aura of supreme nonchalance. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

The red demon snarled. "Whattt is itttt?" He yelled, spittle flying.

The man with the blonde hair brushed a fleck of it off his arm, looking slightly annoyed. "Why are you trying to kill me? I haven't done anything to wrong you, have I?"

The demon blinked, then resumed his gnashing. "What do you meannn?" He asked, letting loose a hoarse laugh. "Do you still not understand? There are the strong, and there are the weak! Those are the rules!"

"Hmmm." The other side still maintained a nonchalant air, languidly smiling. "The rules of the competition… that's how the ruled think, I suppose."

"Whatttt?"

"The ruled. Meaning you."

"I AM NOT RULED!" The demon lifted up his enormous broadsword, glinting menacingly in the sunlight. It already dripped with the blood of many fallen enemies. With a magnificent roar, he brought it down on his opponent, meaning to slice him in half.

Instead, it hit with a solid _thunk_ on the leather briefcase, which its owner had quickly moved to cover his head in what seemed like a fraction of a second.

The demon could do nothing but gape. "That… that briefcase…"

His enemy grinned measuredly. "My turn to talk," he said, looking at his immobile opponent. The briefcase seemed to be perfectly fine; by all intents and purposes, it was an impenetrable shield. It had also apparently frozen the wielder of the sword currently stuck to the briefcase, as if by magic.

"From the moment I heard the rules of this competition, I intended to break it. There would be no shortage of dunces – like yourself – seeking to kill 200 people as fast as possible," he said, adjusting his grip. "So while you fools would do that for me, I thought the opposite: I would make the remaining 200 into my allies. I am not ruled. I make the rules my own. That is the way of the ruler."

"But you…" he unsheathed a hidden knife from his briefcase, barely bigger than a simple dagger. "You don't seem to be worthy of even being ruled."

A flash of light, a spurt of blood, and the demon fell to the ground with an air of finality.

The man with the handkerchief yawned, straightening it out on his head. "Now…" he walked off without a second glance at the demon lying prostrate at his feet, bleeding out.

"Who else is out there?"

* * *

 _Next chapter will be character profile updates and an update A/N :)_

~V


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